hank Archive

One of the 20th century’s greatest violinists, Leonid Kogan was less widely known than his somewhat older contemporary David Oistrakh, but no less a first-tier artist. More concentrated in tonal focus and with a quicker …

One of Mozart’s most celebrated piano pieces, the Fantasia in D minor, K. 397, was composed in 1782 or between 1786 and 1787 and it was left unfinished. (For this reason, the catalog lists it …

Frederick Chopin wrote four ballades, a term he was the first to apply to a music composition, having been normally associated with poetry and song. The first of these Ballades is a piece full of …

I have been a fan of pianist and conductor Andras Schiff for many years. He is a fine musician and I enjoy his teaching methods. Here are hus subtle and so important suggestions for improvements …

I heard this enjoyable piece for the first time at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, many years ago. Some people declare that classical music cannot be light hearted and enjoyable. This music is all …